La Communion solennelle
1977 Comedy / Drama   
 
Credits
  • Director: René Féret
  • Script: René Féret
  • Photo: Jean-François Robin
  • Music: Sergio Ortega
  • Cast: Christian Drillaud (Young Charles Gravet), Claude Bouchery (Jules Ternolain), Isabelle Caillard (Josette Dauchy jeune), Patrick Fierry (Young François Dauchy), Véronique Silver (Josette Dauchy at 40), Marcel Dalio (Old Charles Gravet), Myriam Boyer (Léone Gravet), Manuel Strosser (Julien III Gravet), André Marcon (Lucien Gravet), Nathalie Baye (Jeanne Vanderberghe), Gérard Chaillou (Marcel Dauchy), Yves Reynaud (Gaston Gravet), Fabienne Arel (Mathilde Ternolain), Philippe Léotard (Jacques Gravet), Jany Gastaldi (Lise Paulet-Dauchy à 20 ans), Monique Chaumette (Lise Paulet-Dauchy à 40 ans), Guillaume Lebel (Julien II Gravet), Serge Reggiani (Récitant chanteur)
  • Country: France
  • Language: French
  • Runtime: 105 min
  • Aka: Solemn Communion
 
 
 
Summary
During a grand reunion, a French family remembers its history over three generations, from 1890 to the present day.  Romantic liasions, marriages, separations, family disputes are recalled, against the backdrop of war and societal upheavals.

Review
This is a beautifully filmed kaleidoscope of memories, vividly depicting various periods in provincial France over the last 100 years.  The sense of nostalgia is amplified by a heart-tugging song which adds narrative to an otherwise unstructured film.

Unfortunately, because the film simply relates a long sequence of apparently trivial incidents, it quickly becomes boring.  It is mainly the quality of the photography which prevents you from losing interest in the film.

© James Travers 2000


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